Scalpel ob handle fob subgical instbtjments



H. WEDER, 8a., AND C. H. WOLFF.' SCALPEL 0R HANDLE FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV, 5. 1916 Patented June 24, 1919.

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UNITED STATES PATENTfoFFIoE.

HERMANN WEDER, $3., .AN D CHARLES WOLFE, F PHILAD ELIE'HIA PENNSYLVANIA SCALPEL OR HANDLE FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HERMANN WEoER,

Sr., and CHARLES H. WOLFE, citizens of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in

the county of Philadelphia and State of which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and-to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to scalpels 0r handles for surgical instruments having removable cutting blades.

An object of the invention is to provide a device having a' detachable cutting blade which may be readily and quickly removed for sterilization, or to be discarded and replaced by a sharp blade when it becomes dull or injured.

A further object is ,to provide blades which may be stamped from very thin sheet metal to lessen the cost of production.

And a further object is to provide means for firmly securing the blade to the handle against accidental detachment, and stiffen ing the blade to maintain it substantially rigid while in use.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the features hereinafter set forth and then sought to be clearly defined by the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of the device;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation withportions broken away and showing the blade detached and the elements in position for the insertion of a blade;

Fig. Fig. 1;

Specification of Letters Patent.

3 is a cross section on line 3-3- of Patented June 24, 1919.

Application filed November 6, 1916. Serial No. 129,765.

i Fig. 4 is a perspective of the front part of the handle with the blade and stiffening member removed;

Fig. 5 is a top View of the stifl'ening mem ber;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation'of a portion of the handle showinga modified form of blade fastening means;

Fig. 7 Fig 6; and r ig. 8 'is a longitudinal the blade-stifi'ening member.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 indicatesa handle of'any preferred form having at its' forward end an .extension 2. which is offset to is a cross section on line 7-7 of section through form a shoulder 3 and a slot 4 for the reception of a blade 5. A pivoted member or latch 6 is attached to the extension 2 by means of a pivot 7 and is provided with a curved or dlagonally disposed slot 8 which receives a stud 9 secured to the extension 2 of the handle 1 when the latch 6 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 1 to secure the blade 5 against lateral movement.

stud 9 passed through a perforation therein,

but for sanitary reasons the construction- The member designated as a latch 6 may be formed integral with the handle land theengage the stud 9 and force or draw the vertical edge or heel 11- into engagement with the shoulder 3 and firmly hold the blade against locking movement.

' The handle 1 is provided with a groove 13, preferably elliptical in cross-section, which v "is extended throughout the extension 2 and the latch mefnber6 and has slidably mounted therein a similarly shaped blade stifiening member or. rod 14 which has a groove 15 formed in its under side to receive the top edge of the blade5 when the rod 14 is moved into engagement therewith as shown in Fig.

l to hold the blade securely in position and maintain it substantially rigid throughout practically its'entire length, .a small portion of the outer end of the blade being free or uncovered. to permit the partial insertion of the blade during the cutting operation as will be readily understood. The groove 13 and the stifi'ening rod 14 may be of any shape in cross-section which will permit the sliding of the rod 14 but prevent its rotation with relation to the handle 1. The rear end of the groove 15 in the rod 14 is curved or the rod undercut, as at 16, to engage the upper corner of the blade 5 at its inner end to securely hold the vertical edge 12 of the blade in engagement with the shoulder of the handle and limit the outward movement surface ribbed or knurled, is attached to the rod 14'and by means of which the rod may be moved into and out of engagement with the blade 5 and it also serves as a rest to support the device in an inverted position when not in use to protect the edge of the blade against injury and contamination.

A modified form of blade securing means is shown in Figs. 6 and 7 in which the blade 5 is provided with a plurality of perforations or openings 18 which receive studs 19 secured to the extension 2 of the handle 1, the latch 6 having grooves 20 formed on its inner side to receive the projecting ends of the studs 19 when the blade has been placed in position.

It will be readily understood from the foregoingxthat the blades may be quickly and easily removed and replaced and secured to the handle without possibility of becoming detached or flexing while in use, and when attached all of the partsare firmly locked against accidental movement.

It will be also understood from the foregoing that we have provided a device which will permit of the blades being formed from thin metal of a suflicient thickness to preclude the possibility of breaking while in use which greatly reduces the labor and time required in stamping and sharpening the same and which permits a supply of sterilized and sharp blades to be kept at hand by the operator for instant use without the necessity of sharpening the cutting edge when it .has become unfit for further use.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

'1. A device of the character, described comprising a handle, a blade, means for at- .tachingthe blade to the handle, and a brace b'ar slidablyattached to the handle and movable with relation to the blade to engage the top edge of the blade through-out the major part of its length to prevent flexing thereof when in use.

2'. A device of the character described, comprising a blade, a handle provided with a groove, means for attaching the blade to the handle, and a brace rod slidable in the groove with relation to the blade to engage the blade to prevent flexing thereof while in use.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a blade, a handle, means for at taching the blade to the handle, a brace bar slidably attached to the handle and movable with relation to the blade and provided with a groove to engage the blade to prevent flexing thereof when in use.

4. A device of the character described comprising a handle, a blade adapted to be secured to the handle, a non-rotatable brace rod slidably attached to the handle and movable with relation to the blade to engage the same to prevent flexing thereof when in use.

5. A device of the character described comprising a handle having a slot to receive a blade, a pin projecting through the slot, a blade provided with a slot to receive the pin, and a brace bar slidable in a groove in the handle to engage the blade and retain it in the slot in the handle.

6. A device of the character described, comprising a-handle having an extension provided with a. stud, a blade provided with a slot for receiving the stud, a latch secured to the extension for engagement with the stud to prevent lateral movement of the blade, and means attached to the handle to engage the blade and prevent vertical movement thereof.

7. A device of the character described, comprising a handle having a. slot to receive a blade, a stud projecting across the slot, a blade provided with a slot having an inclined edge for engagement with the stud to force the inner end of the blade into engagement with the end of the slot in the handle, and means slid-ably attached to the handle and movable with relation to the blade to engage the upper edge of the blade and retain its inner edge in engagement with the inner end of the slot in the handle to secure the blade to thehandle.

8. A device of the character described, comprising a handle provided with means for detachably securing a. blade) thereto, means attached to the handle and receiving the back of the blade to brace the blade and its connection to the handle, a member connected with the back of the handle to support the device with the cutting edge of the blade in a vertical plane elevated when not in use.

9. A device of the character described, comprising a handle with an extension at the blade-receiving end, a pivoted latch at one side of said eXtensi-on, means attached In testimony whereof We affix our signato the handle disposed to pass through a tures in presence of two Witnesses.

blade and to be engaged by said latch, the HERMANN WEDER, SR. handle, its extension and latch being formed CHARLES H. WOLFF.

5 With a rod receiving groove, and a rod slid- Witnesses:

able in said groove and formed to grasp the GLENDORA KEssLER,

back of the blade. I CHAS. COBB VAN RIPER. 

